The unexpected lockdown to prevent spread of covid–19 has caused a serious damage to the lives of Indian expatriates irrespective of laborers and entrepreneurs in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Different stories of expatriates' ordeals are emerging from the region.
Abdul Razaq, hailing from Udupi in Karnataka has been running small scale business at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, based on oil refinery projects of the government. He was undergoing medical treatment for his cancer which is in fist stage. He explaines his ordeals caused by lockdown and stopping the flight facility.
“I was regularly visiting home country for the treatment of cancer. Now I cannot go as international flight service has been stopped. I expect that government will hear problems of expatriates and will arrange facilities to take us back to home”, he said.
Mubeen from Bengaluru was working on temporary basis for a company in Jubail. He had lost his jobs like some of his colleagues due to the lockdown.
“As everything was alright, I had brought my parents recently to Saudi Arabia on a visit visa. Things changed drastically with covid-19 attack. Continuous lockdown caused burden over the company and they removed temporary employees like me to control possible losses” he said.
“Now owner of the flat has been harassing me for the rent. I do not have money either to pay rent or to cover daily family expenses. I do not know what to do further”, he added.
Iqbal from Mangaluru left for Saudi Arabia to help his family. He got a job in a juce centre in Dammam recently. Corona lockdown made his life difficult. He is eager to return his home country.
“I came to Saudi Arbia because of financial difficulties as I had not found any job with good salary there. I thought I can earn well by going to Saudi Arabia. However, here too the salary was not so good. Now juice center is closed due to lockdown and sponsor is giving very small amount of money as salary through which we cannot afford our expenses and our families back in home,” he said.
“Here It is not easy get help of fellow Indians since most of them have their own ordeals. I would like to return home country; there however we can manage to get help of friends and relatives. I am looking forward the help of Indian government to start air facility for stranded NRIs,” he said.
Mohsin from Mysuru is a taxi driver in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. He was earning on commission basis. Now Saudi government banned movement of taxis in the region, which pushed him and his fellow taxi drivers into trouble.
“We were earning commissions daily on the basis of trips. Now we cannot move outside with taxi since it may cause us to pay the fine of SR.10000. How can I manage my expenses and family members in home?”, he asked.
There are cases of pregnant women who have to return India for delivery. Those who brought family here on visit visa will not have insurance. Delivery charges and any kind of medical facilities without insurance in Saudi Arabia is very expensive. Expatriate Indians with such problems are awaiting government's help.
“I had brought my wife on one year visit visa. Now she is pregnant and I have to send her back to home for delivery. If lockdown continues, it is difficult to send back and we have to spend big amounts for delivery without insurance. It is a big burden to me as I work for small salary in a company”, said Yunus from Hyderabad, who is living in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Lockdown is haunting even entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia. Most of expatriates in the industrial hub of Jubail are doing business based on Saudi Government’s oil refinery projects. Saudi Arabia temporarily stopped most of the projects as part of public health safety measures to maintain social distance.
“We are doing business based on oil refinery projects. Now projects are stopped. We brought around 1100 people on work permit visa on temporary basis. And also, we have around 1200 permanent workers. It is a big burden to provide them with food, accommodation and salary. It may cause a big loss for our company”, said owner of expatriates company, Sheikh Mohammed.
Saudi Arabia had reported first corona virus affected case in March 2, 2020. At the end of March, it was 1600 and now it already corssed 6000. Saudi Health ministry has cautioned the number of affected people may rise 10000 to 200,000 and directed for more precautionary measures. In such case, the Indian expatriates may have to face crisis in the region.
Indian expatriate organizations are demanding for immediate intervention of Indian government to ensure better quarantine facility and treatment of NRIs in Saudi Arabia as the cases are increasing rapidly. The condition of laborers in some of the camps are such that seven to eight people should share a single bed room.
“Normally if there is a flat, it will consist three to four bed rooms. In single bedroom companies will provide three four bunk beds and six to eight people should share the room. In such cases, if a person affected with virus it will spread quickly to others. Thus, Indian government should ensure quarantine facility for NRIs”, says Wasim Rabbani, president of Indian Social Forum, Eastern Region, Saudi Arabia.
President of Karnataka Non Residential Indians, A forum for the NRI organizations of Karnataka, Zakaria Muzain says Indian Government should immediately interfere to bring back those stranded NRIs who wish to return home. Government should intervene to pressure Indian embassy to take the issues of troubled expatriates.
“Government should make special flight arrangement for such NRIs in trouble. It should also arrange quarantine facility for those who return to India. Already there are many Non-Governmental charity organization which have come forward to give their facilities for NRIs”, he said.
NRIs from all categories are looking forward for the help of Indian government. It is important to Indian government to take quick action as the problem is increasing in Saudi Arabia.
Comments
They didn't ask you to wear shorts or bikinis
They just said no bhurka
Once you join the college,you are meant yo follow rules.
If you are not ok with it join another college which respects your tradition
They didn't ask them to wear shorts or bikini,they just said no bhurka
Rules of college to be followed once you join it,if you are not ok with it join another college which respects your tradition
Some fools here don't know the constitutional rights of students and commenting asking to go to Muslim colleges. Then let the college announce that they cannot follow our indian constitution.....
I dint see all these people commenting where their cow gods are in trouble....specially kotiaan ....we will take care of our problems....you first settle your GO Gods problem first....ha ha ..arrange to clean the city from plastics and feed them with grass......good luck....
Neren when did you travel from Thailand to Singapur. Might be the Govt of Thailand refused to give shelter like Indian govt did to you Poor Naren. Next he will be HELL.
Me Naren Hindu Lady sanyasi also wearing towel on her head gujrathi and Rajasthan Hindu women without head covered not coming in front of elderly person Christian nuns also wearing hijab that means hijab his good for ladies. If purchased fish you are not taking naked fish without covering then how you allowd your mother or sister allied without covering head
Kotian. A simple example. Just read and understand
For kachra what u do. U will burn of course.
For treasure what u do. U will hide in the ground of course.
After dead some people burn them. As some people hid in the ground
Simple message is that it is because of the huge donations given by the muslims the school and colleges are being filled and if we muslims decide to send our children only to muslim institutions then the closure of many of the non-muslim institutions will be near.
Dear Danish,
Your comments shows how much knowledge you have about islamic countries. Just visit dubai and see how non muslims are practising their faith. Don't blame with half knowledge like our Feku.
NARENANNA .....We no longer require messenger like you ....we already have ADVANI anna .....who followewd Sharia by saying ....death penalty for Rapist
NAREN JOKES
What a boring and miserable person you are naren. We are fed up reading your comments and now we are taking it as narens jokes. Keep going you will be famous as sardar jokes one day .. Hahaha.
There is a pretty common story that a NON MUSLIM asked a MUSLIM man why Muslim women covers themselves in HIJAB.
He took a piece of CANDY , took it out of the wrapper and threw it on the Ground. Candy got dirty, ants came & swarmed it, etc...
He took another piece of CANDY that was wrapped and threw it on the Ground as well.
Then he asked the NON MUSLIM man if he wanted the wrapped candy or the unwrapped candy? He of course said the Wrapped ONE.
The unwrapped was to symbolize uncovered women... How they are walking through this filthy world.
The Covered women was symbolized by the Wrapped Candy which protected from the dirty things on earth.
Its your choice... to follow the divine msg or not.. Nobody is forced by GOD.
If the Virgin Mary appears wearing a Veil on all her pictures, How can you ask me to sign on a Hijab ban law?
Roberto Maroni (Italian Foreign & Labour Minister)
muslim education institutes are not on par with education , so they join hindu and christian owned ... so no place for sharia .. kick those out of college ... no mercy must be shown on jihadist encouraging activities ... we have seen deep penetration of islamic state element in the coastal . .. one banner showing they will teach lesson in their own terms ... fire pellet guns on them ...beter join madrasa guys ... go please hahaha...
A BJP MP rejected USA visa because they told him to remove turban for security check. He rejected the American visa instead.
Anybody to blame him? No, this is our culture.
If a girl wear half naked skits or tight jeans pant and breast showing clothes, then these so called educationists are happy.
Hijab is the right of a muslim girl. Turban is the right of Sikh students, in a secular country they have the right to observe their religious dress code.
better to boycott such kind of institutions and go for islamic colleges.
Finally chairman by self unveiled his mask. Hope if he continue his dirty mentality then his institution may lose his respect and not fit to educate our future generation.
It will be unfortunate to Great Nation
its not Group of Muslim Students.............it is CAMPUS FRONT OF INDIA
Beedi workers ( look at pic in which women has come along with her daughter ) ...2 faces I can make out they are from bunder involved in cattle thefts before ..correct taane faizahal Bhai ? Idara bagge nimge idea iratte ..haha ..salafists are getting lot of funds from wahabist countries ..so they are organising this .. Give them tc so that they can join their community owned collegese...comedy thing is minority particularly one community owned colleges and schools are not of good standards ...haha ...quality of teaching staff is not up to the level ...so they join colleges owned by Hindus and Christians .madrasa untalla babes ..go and join na ? Hahaha...
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